Hard West

Hard West, a turn-based tactics title from 2015, presents an interesting benchmark scenario for the Intel Core i9-14900K and Intel Arc B570 combination. The data reveals a system that is decisively GPU-limited at higher resolutions, while the processor's substantial headroom becomes apparent only at 1080p. The measured frame rates indicate that the Arc B570 is the primary bottleneck across most of the tested configurations, with the i9-14900K providing ample performance to avoid being a limiting factor. The overall combo rank of 2360 out of 2949 tested combinations suggests that this pairing, while functional, does not unlock the full potential of either component in this specific title, a conclusion supported by the significant performance drops observed as resolution and settings increase.

Resolution Scaling

The performance scaling from 1080p to 4K clearly demonstrates where the bottleneck lies. At High settings, the average frame rate drops from 84 FPS at 1920x1080 to 53 FPS at 2560x1440, a reduction of 31 FPS. Pushing further to 3840x2160 yields a meager 28 FPS average, which is a 56 FPS drop from the 1080p result. This steep decline indicates that the Intel Arc B570 is struggling to maintain frame rates as the pixel count increases, a classic sign of GPU-bound performance. The data suggests that the rendering pipeline is saturated by the demands of higher resolutions, leaving the i9-14900K with significant idle capacity.

The pattern is consistent across all settings presets. At Low settings, the average FPS falls from 134 at 1080p to 85 at 1440p, and then to 44 at 4K. This represents a 67% performance loss from 1080p to 4K. Similarly, at Medium settings, the frame rate drops from 110 FPS at 1080p to 69 FPS at 1440p, and finally to 36 FPS at 4K. The Ultra preset shows the most dramatic scaling, with 63 FPS at 1080p, 40 FPS at 1440p, and a nearly unplayable 21 FPS at 4K. These figures show that the GPU is the limiting component; the CPU's role is secondary, as it is not able to compensate for the GPU's workload at higher resolutions.

The implication is that for 4K gaming, this combination is not viable for a smooth experience in Hard West, as even the Low preset only manages an average of 44 FPS. The 1440p resolution provides a more playable middle ground, with the High preset hitting 53 FPS average. At 1080p, the system shows its strength, with the High preset delivering 84 FPS average, indicating a much more balanced workload where the GPU is still the primary constraint but is more capable of keeping up with the CPU's output. The data strongly suggests that the Arc B570's memory bandwidth and processing power are the limiting factors, rather than any CPU-side constraint.

Settings Recommendations

Based on the measured FPS data, the optimal experience for this hardware combination depends heavily on the target resolution. At 1920x1080, the High preset offers the best balance, delivering an average of 84 FPS. While the Low preset achieves a higher 134 FPS average, the visual fidelity trade-off is significant for a turn-based tactics game where the atmosphere and art style are key components. The Ultra preset, at 63 FPS average, is also playable but provides a diminishing return on performance when compared to the High preset's 84 FPS. The Medium preset, at 110 FPS average, offers a good middle ground, but the High preset's higher visual quality is worth the 26 FPS reduction, as the resulting 84 FPS is still well within the smooth playable range.

At 2560x1440, the recommendation shifts. The High preset maintains a respectable 53 FPS average, which is playable for a turn-based game. The Medium preset, at 69 FPS average, provides a smoother experience and is the recommended choice for this resolution. The Ultra preset at 40 FPS average is borderline, but the Medium preset's 69 FPS offers a more comfortable margin. The Low preset, at 85 FPS, is the highest performance option but sacrifices too much visual detail. For a game like Hard West, which relies on its stylized visuals, the Medium preset is the sweet spot, providing a significant performance boost over High while maintaining acceptable graphical fidelity.

For 3840x2160, the data shows that no preset provides a fully smooth experience. The Low preset achieves the highest average at 44 FPS, but this is below the 60 FPS threshold often considered ideal. The Medium preset drops to 36 FPS, and the High preset to 28 FPS. The Ultra preset is effectively unplayable at 21 FPS. Therefore, at 4K, the only viable option is the Low preset, and even then, users should expect a sub-optimal experience. The benchmark results suggest that this resolution is beyond the comfortable capabilities of the Intel Arc B570 in this title, and users should either lower their resolution or accept lower frame rates.

CPU Role

The Intel Core i9-14900K is a high-end desktop processor with 24 cores and 32 threads, based on the Raptor Lake architecture. Its benchmark scores place it in the 95th percentile of all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79097. The data shows that in Hard West, this processor is not the limiting factor. The game's engine, being a turn-based tactics title from 2015, is unlikely to fully utilize the CPU's massive thread count. The i9-14900K's performance, as evidenced by a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 39399.5 and a single-core score of 2262.5, is more than sufficient for this game's demands.

The CPU's role is to feed the GPU with draw calls and game logic data. In Hard West, the frame rate scaling with resolution indicates that the GPU is the bottleneck, not the CPU. At 1080p, where the GPU's load is lower, the CPU could theoretically become more relevant, but the data shows that even here, the GPU is still the limiting factor. The i9-14900K's high single-thread performance, with a Geekbench single-core score of 2655, ensures that it can handle the game's primary game thread without issue. The processor's large L3 cache of 36 MB shared also helps in reducing memory latency for game data.

Comparing to its nearest rivals, the i9-14900K is a strong performer. It is 0.3% behind the Intel Core i9-14900KF, and 0.6% behind the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, but 1.7% ahead of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395. These differences are minimal and do not translate to tangible differences in a game like Hard West. The data confirms that the CPU is not a source of performance degradation in this title. The bottleneck is clearly the GPU, as the frame rates scale directly with resolution and settings, which are GPU-dependent variables. The CPU's potential is largely untapped, indicating that a less powerful processor would likely deliver identical frame rates in this specific scenario.

FAQ

Q: What is the highest average FPS achieved by this CPU and GPU combination in Hard West?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 134, which is achieved at 1920x1080 resolution with the Low settings preset.

Q: Is the Intel Core i9-14900K a bottleneck for the Intel Arc B570 in this game?

A: No, the benchmark data indicates the system is GPU-limited. The frame rate drops significantly as resolution and settings increase, which is a characteristic of a GPU bottleneck. The CPU's high benchmark scores and percentile ranking suggest it has ample performance headroom.

Q: At which resolution and settings does the system achieve a 60 FPS average or above?

A: The system achieves an average FPS above 60 at 1920x1080 for the High, Medium, and Low presets. It also achieves this at 2560x1440 for the Low preset, which hits an 85 FPS average. The High preset at 2560x1440 falls short at 53 FPS.

Q: How does the Intel Arc B570's performance compare to its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A750?

A: The Intel Arc B570 has an average benchmark score of 20556, which is 0.1% lower than the Intel Arc A750's average score of 20582. In the context of this game, their performance is expected to be very similar.

Q: What is the lowest average FPS recorded in the benchmarks?

A: The lowest average FPS is 21, which is achieved at 3840x2160 resolution with the Ultra settings preset.

Q: What is the average FPS difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 2560x1440?

A: At 2560x1440, the Low preset achieves an average of 85 FPS, while the Ultra preset achieves an average of 40 FPS. This represents a 45 FPS difference between the two presets.

GPU Role

The Intel Arc B570, based on the Xe2-HPG architecture and codenamed Battlemage, is the primary performance driver in this configuration. With 10 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, it offers a memory bandwidth of 380.0 GB/s. Its 2304 shading units and 80 ROPs are responsible for the rendering output. The GPU's benchmark scores place it in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 20556. Its performance in Hard West is directly correlated with the resolution and settings, confirming its role as the main bottleneck.

The data shows that the GPU's capabilities are stretched at higher resolutions. At 4K, the GPU's fill rate and memory bandwidth are insufficient to maintain high frame rates, even at Low settings. The measured performance at 4K Ultra, with an average of 21 FPS, indicates that the GPU is completely saturated. At 1080p, the GPU is more capable, but it still limits the frame rate, as seen in the difference between High (84 FPS) and Low (134 FPS) settings. This suggests that the GPU's processing power, not the CPU, is the determining factor in the final frame output.

The GPU's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Arc A750, have a nearly identical average benchmark score, with a deltaPct of -0.1%. This indicates that the B570's performance in Hard West is likely representative of its class. The data from the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, where the B570 scores 2649, provides a synthetic reference for its gaming capability. The GPU's 11.52 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 200.0 GPixel/s pixel rate are the theoretical limits that the game's engine can leverage. In practice, Hard West's requirements, while not extreme, are enough to expose the B570's limitations at higher resolutions, making it the clear limiting component in this pairing.

Measured FPS Breakdown

At 1920x1080, the system delivers its strongest performance. With the Low preset, the average FPS is 134. The Medium preset produces an average of 110 FPS, with a minimum of 93 and a maximum of 126 FPS. The High preset yields an average of 84 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, resulting in an average of 63 FPS. The data shows a clear progression, with each step up in settings costing a significant number of frames. The minimum FPS data for the Medium preset (93 FPS) suggests that frame pacing is consistent without major dips.

At 2560x1440, the performance drops are substantial. The Low preset achieves an average of 85 FPS. The Medium preset averages 69 FPS, with a minimum of 59 and a maximum of 80 FPS. The High preset drops to an average of 53 FPS. The Ultra preset is the most demanding, with an average of 40 FPS. The minimum FPS of 59 for the Medium preset is just below the 60 FPS threshold, indicating that this setting is on the edge of smooth playability. The performance scaling from 1080p to 1440p shows an average loss of roughly 40-45% across all presets, highlighting the GPU's struggle with the increased pixel count.

At 3840x2160, the system is heavily burdened. The Low preset is the only one that approaches a playable state, with an average of 44 FPS. The Medium preset falls to an average of 36 FPS, with a minimum of 31 and a maximum of 42 FPS. The High preset averages 28 FPS, and the Ultra preset is nearly unplayable at an average of 21 FPS. The minimum FPS of 31 for the Medium preset indicates significant frame drops, which could impact the game's responsiveness. The difference between the Low and Ultra presets at 4K is 23 FPS, showing that the GPU has very little headroom to handle additional graphical effects at this resolution. These numbers confirm that 4K is not a viable resolution for this hardware combination in Hard West, and that the GPU is the sole limiting factor.